Approximately 100 participants, including Citizen Corps volunteers, emergency managers, elected officials and representatives from the private sector will hear from experts about the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Risk Management Plan and Emergency Planning/Community Right to Know (EPCRA) programs, using social media to enhance a volunteer program, and developing crisis response teams on college campuses.

“Citizen Corps volunteers perform an invaluable service,” says Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security (GEMA) Director English. “They contribute to the safety of their communities by supporting first responders through programs such as CERT and Medical Reserve Corps, which enables us to be better prepared."

The keynote speaker will be the Honorable Deke Copenhaver, Mayor of Augusta, who will address the participants at 1:00 p.m. The summit ends at noon Friday, Oct. 5.

Citizen Corps brings together community, emergency and government leaders to involve community members in emergency preparedness, planning, mitigation, response, and recovery. Through Citizen Corps and its partners and affiliates, individuals can find training and volunteer opportunities to support first responders during an emergency.

LEPC is a partnership between local industries, citizens, governments and emergency response agencies, as required by the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act which establishes rules and procedures for coordinating local response and the handling of public requests for information resulting from accidents involving hazardous materials.